Something to be Thankful For
by Living in a fantasy
Summary: Thanksgiving was a stupid holiday. What did Mello have to be thankful for anyway? But maybe a certain redhead can show Mello that he's luckier than he thought.


AN: Happy Thanksgiving my fellow Americans! Have you stuffed your face with food yet? This is such a fun holiday. Who is going shopping tomorrow? I love shopping on black Friday!

I wonder if I can hit all the major holidays with oneshots? We shall see fellow fangirls…we…shall…see. YES I am super slow with Savior. I can't think of a good way to start the next chapter. It'll happen. As long as the DN obsession remains…it'll happen.

Disclaimer: I do own Death Note! I do! I do! …..I wish! I wish!

/…/…/…/

Thanksgiving. It was a day to be thankful for all you have and to wish for the best in the future. It's a day to appreciate the people in your life and be glad to have the fortune to be able to put food on the table.

What a load of bull.

Thanksgiving was just an excuse for lazy, stupid Americans to stuff their faces. They didn't care about giving thanks, so why should they bother pretending to be thankful?

At least, that's what Mello thought. Mello didn't put much stock in pointless holidays, and that was especially true for Thanksgiving. First off it was an American holiday, and second what did he have to be thankful for?

But, for some odd reason, this year Matt wanted to celebrate Thanksgiving.

"Come on Mel. It's a good chance to do something normal for once."

"We're not even American you idiot! Besides that's not the point of Thanksgiving. The point of Thanksgiving is to give thanks," he said sarcastically.

Matt frowned. "Well we can do that. There's plenty to be thankful for." Mello scoffed, but Matt continued anyway. "Thanksgiving is next week. I can handle the cooking and all that. There's sure to be some Christmas specials on TV you can watch."

"It's only November!" Mello shouted indignantly.

"That's my point," Matt said patiently, reaching into his pocket for a pack of cigarettes. "Besides why do you care when the specials start? If you look really hard you may find a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving." He smirked, lighting his cigarette.

Mello scowled at him. "Do whatever you want," he said, unwrapping a chocolate bar and biting into it noisily. "Just don't expect me to be involved."

Mello hadn't taken Matt's request very seriously until he returned home the day before Thanksgiving to find a large frozen turkey in the sink. "MATT!" he barked, poking the turkey experimentally while waiting for the gamer to appear.

"Yes?" Matt asked from behind Mello. The blond jumped and whipped around. Matt chuckled, amused, then moved past Mello into the small kitchen.

"Do you even know how to cook that?" Mello asked dubiously.

"It's called Google Mello. Ever heard of it?"

Mello's eyes narrowed. "Shut up. I just don't want to eat raw meat because you're too stupid to cook a turkey properly."

Matt rolled his eyes. "It'll be fine Mello."

Mello grumbled inaudibly under his breath but retreated to the living room, curling up on the couch and taking a laptop off the table.

He hadn't thought Matt was so serious, but the redhead seemed very determined about this. Well one thing was for sure, Mello would not be getting involved in this. Matt could cook all he wanted, and sure Mello would eat it, but he was not taking place in this stupid holiday.

A few minutes later Matt settled in next to him, pulling out his DS and turning it on. Several moments later the familiar tune of Animal Crossing was playing throughout the room.

"…I still can't believe you play that game."

Matt grinned. "It's actually a very solid game. Besides I just have to check on a couple things before I get back to Phantom Hourglass. See someone I like might move, so I have to do the rounds. And in November there's mushroom hunting so I have to check around town for those. It's not raining though…you can only catch several fish if it's raining-"

"Matt!" Mello snapped. "Shut up. I don't need a walkthrough to your stupid game."

"…The harvest festival is a Thanksgiving theme, although I heard from time-travelers that it's not on Wild World. Stupid."

Mello stared at the laptop screen and tried to tune Matt's mindless chatter out. Matt, taking the hint stopped talking and the two friends sat in silence for several hours before Matt stood, turned off his game, and stretched. "I'm going to bed Mel. Night."

"Night," the blond replied as Matt meandered into his bedroom. Not an hour later, Mello stood as well. He should get some rest if he was going to have to deal with Matt in holiday mode tomorrow.

And holiday mode is just what he got.

"Matt!"

Mello had awaked still half asleep, walking drowsily into the bathroom to take his shower. When he emerged however, the kitchen had been completely transformed.

The now thaw turkey was still in the sink, but there was an almost empty bowl of dressing (which, Mello thought, looked disgusting) beside it and Matt was actually stuffing the prepared dressing into the turkey and…

Frankly it was just something Mello did not need to see so early in the morning.

"Oh! Hey Mel," Matt said cheerfully, washing his hands and drying them off quickly. "I need your help, come here a minute!"

"It's still early Matt what are you doing?"

Matt motioned him over impatiently. "Well the turkey is going to take like five hours to cook and-"

"Five HOURS? Are you serious?"

Matt nodded. "And that's not counting the other preparations like the potatoes, plus carving the turkey and all that, we'll be lucky to be done by five!"

Mello stared at him. "This is a lot of work for something we'll finish eating in twenty minutes."

The redhead shrugged. "We'll have leftovers and then we won't have to cook. Now come help me get this turkey in the bag!"

"I said I didn't want anything to do with it…" Mello reluctantly went to the gamer and held the bag sitting atop the pan open. "This fine?"

"Yeah," Matt grunted, lifting the turkey. Mello's eyes widened as he watched Matt stumble towards him with the huge, dead bird. "Just gotta…get it…in…there," he panted, tripping and almost falling flat on his face with the turkey. He regained his balance and shoved the turkey in the bag, taking a deep breath once he had done so. "Wow. Heavy for a bird right?" he asked happily, adjusting the turkey inside the bag. "I have this meat thermometer, so I'll know when the turkey is done all the way through."

"Am I done here?"

"What? Oh yeah, there's nothing else to do for a while anyway," Matt told him flopping down on the couch and pulling out his DS. "Here, watch a parade," he said, flipping on the TV and turning his DS on.

Why didn't Matt seem to understand that Mello didn't want to celebrate this holiday?! He'd even gotten him to participate in it! Well no more.

"I'm not watching a parade!" Mello spat, ripping the remote from Matt's hand and throwing it across the room. Matt looked up from his game.

"Okay. You don't have to be so angry about it."

"Matt! I hate this stupid holiday! It's a holiday celebrating a time period when Americans stole all the Indians land and in exchange gave them smallpox infested blankets! So sorry if it doesn't seem like a very cheery thing to celebrate!"

Matt looked slightly taken aback at the outburst. "Mello it's just supposed to be about giving thanks for what you have and-"

"For what I have? What do I have Matt? A shitty base I call home with a lazy hacker who can't even handle watching a blond bimbo all day?!" Matt winced. "Or maybe this lovely scar! I'm sure that's something to be thankful for! Or maybe I should be thankful that L died, that Near is ahead of me and that Kira is taking over the fucking world! Overall I think I have very little to be thankful for!"

Matt averted his eyes, staring blankly down at his game. "Well I have something to be thankful for. I'm sure you can find something too."

"What? What are you thankful for?" Mello asked. "By all means let's hear it! You thankful for your cigarette suppliers?! Or for the Japanese techies who make your stupid video games?" Mello snatched the DS from Matt and threw it to the ground.

"You're so fucking blind Mello!" Matt yelled, standing abruptly and facing the blond, anger and disappointment shining in his eyes. "That's not what I'm thankful for! I mean those are perks but they're not worthy me celebrating over. What I'm thankful for is so much more important! And I would think you could at least think of one thing to be thankful for!"

"What do I have to be thankful for?"

"What do you have to be thankful for?" Matt asked incredulously. "Be thankful that after all the shit you had to go through you're still alive! Be thankful you got to go to Wammy's where your intelligence could grow! Be thankful you've gotten so far on the Kira case despite your limited resources! Fuck, be thankful Joseph Fry invented the chocolate bar, I don't care! Just be thankful for something!"

Mello clenched his fists and stared Matt down, fury building in his eyes. "So I should be thankful of my failures? Be thankful for a scar, for an orphanage that got me nothing, and a hacker that has got me no new leads? So sorry Matt, I don't think I have any reason to be celebrating your stupid holiday!"

Matt scowled and silently left the room, storming to his bedroom and slamming the door behind him. Mello glared a moment before his eyes softened slightly, replaying Matt's words in his head. _'Something to be thankful for…oh Matty.'_ Sudden understanding rushed through him. Matt saying he had something more important to be thankful for…had he been talking about…him? Mello made for the door but hesitated.

Matt had wanted to celebrate a normal holiday with him. Had that been so much to ask? After all, Matt had done so much for him, put up with his temper, and rarely asked for anything in return. _'I really fucked up this time,' _he thought to himself.

Sure Thanksgiving was commercial for most Americans, but not for Matt. Sweet, caring Matt. And now he'd screwed everything up just because he couldn't go along with a stupid dinner?

Well, he'd just have to fix it.

Turning, Mello strode determinedly into the kitchen, glancing at the laptop on the counter. Matt already had the turkey and dressing in the oven and he'd bought a pie from the store. Glancing around, Mello finally managed to locate the rolls. All he really had to do was make the mashed potatoes and gravy…and make sure the turkey didn't burn or something.

Realizing potatoes would not take super long, Mello returned to his laptop, trying to focus on the Kira case. Unfortunately he was having a hard time thinking of anything other then Matt, and it was really starting to get on his nerves. What was so special about him anyway? That he should get all his attention?

But…he had been so happy, so excited, to share Thanksgiving with Mello. The blond sighed and leaned back against the couch. Why did he always manage to mess up the good things in his life? He'd lost out on being L's successor, he'd lost his mafia connections, and now he was even pushing Matt away…

The melancholy thought process lasted a long time before he finally got up, Googling how to make mashed potatoes, and then doing his best to create them. He felt ridiculous, but Matt deserved it. He could handle this for Matt right?

The knife slipped and cut a large gash across his finger. He hissed under his breath as blood gushed out. This may be harder then he had originally thought.

Surprisingly though, Mello got through it all okay. The potatoes had been a hassle, and trying to get the gravy the right consistency had been a bitch, but hours later, he had somehow created a Thanksgiving dinner.

He'd set the table already, setting out the rolls and pie. The potatoes were done and…most of the dressing was out of the turkey (he'd given up on getting it all out after a while). He looked curiously at the bird, not quite sure how to carve it correctly. Maybe Matt would do it…

Now the only hard thing would be getting the will to knock on the door and show Matt what he had done. Mello was having second thoughts…this was such a nice gesture. It made him feel…embarrassed. But he'd worked too hard on it. Matt would just have to appreciate it!

With that thought in mind he knocked sharply on Matt's door three times. "What?" he heard from the other side. He opened the door to see the gamer huddled on his bed, playing his old Gameboy.

"Come out here."

"What do you want Mello?" Matt asked, voice tired and slightly hurt. Mello felt his heart twist slightly at that, but ignored it. Matt wouldn't sound like that in a minute, he was sure of it.

"Just come out here. Now."

Matt growled and turned off his game, tossing it on the bed. Stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jeans, he followed Mello out of the room and towards the kitchen. "If you're just going to rant about…Mello…what…?"

Mello couldn't help but smile at the awe that filled Matt's voice. Their table was set with real plates and silverware, a basket of rolls, mashed potatoes, gravy, and the pie already on it. On the counter sat a magnificent turkey, the dressing sitting beside it, still steaming and hot. Matt's eyes, that had previously been so downcast, had filled with wonder beneath his goggles.

"What is this?" Matt asked finally, turning to Mello, a smile slowly tugging onto his face.

"I just…sorry okay. I wasn't being very fair…or truthful either."

"About what?" Matt asked, almost whispering as Mello took a step closer.

"About having nothing to be thankful for," Mello finally answered, gently taking the goggles off Matt's eyes so he could make direct contact with him. "I do…have something to be thankful for. Someone." Matt said nothing, but he leaned forward, eager, daring to hope that Mello meant what he thought he meant. "I couldn't have gotten through all this if it wasn't for you Matty," Mello said at last, leaning in so his and Matt's faces were centimeters apart. "So I do have something to be thankful for." He smiled. "You Matt."

A bright smile lit Matt's face and he leaned forward, capturing Mello in a fond embrace. "God Mello, you have to know, I'm so thankful to have you in my life. If it hadn't been for you back in Wammy's…if you hadn't come back…I just-"

"I know Matt. Or I should have understood earlier," Mello told him, pulling back slightly and smiling a real, warm smile. "Now come carve this turkey so we can eat it. I worked hard on it you know."

Matt laughed. "Of course," he replied, pulling back as well. He smirked suddenly, then caught Mello's wrist and pulled him in, planting the lightest kiss on his lips, then practically skipped to the turkey.

Mello, cheeks tinged red, followed. "W-what was that all about?!"

Matt, positively glowing with delight, turned back towards him. "Just showing you that I care too of course."

"I…didn't say I cared exactly," Mello mumbled, touching his lips and looking away. Matt simply grinned in response and nudged the blond. Mello felt a small smile creep across his face and Matt, satisfied, turned back to the turkey.

"Hey Mello?"

"Yeah?"

"How exactly do I carve this thing?"

/…/…/…/

AN: I like my ending! It's cute! And you have to admit, when you look at a turkey it's all bright and perfect and you don't know where to start cutting! Good thing my parents do haha.

Hope you're all having (or had…it is getting later by now) a great Thanksgiving! Mine was good, especially since I was sick all week and felt better just in time for today. Don't forget to give thanks, aloud or to yourself, for all the things in your life that you have. I know I'm thankful for a lot of things, such as my wonderful reviewers who continue to support me. Thanks for reading everyone, and have a great Thanksgiving!

And can't you see Matt playing Animal Crossing? xD The thought amuses me.


End file.
